Blog

1. A chainsaw in the Reading Room!

   Reading Room works July 2013 a video by Chetham’s Library on Flickr. Here’s some footage of Jamie from TRAC Structural Ltd sawing into one of the medieval beams ready to...

   17th July 2013 • Read more

2. A visit from Jeremy Deller

     Of course, everybody knows that Chetham’s is the library of cool when it comes to music, but it turns out that we are no less hip when it comes...

   15th July 2013 • Read more

3. An orchard on Shudehill

   This week’s 101 Treasures page features William Hulme’s 1753 plan of his home near Shudehill and the land immediately around it. It is an amazing glimpse into a small town...

   12th July 2013 • Read more

4. The Chetham coat of arms

   We have been asked for information about Humphrey Chetham’s coat of arms and thought it might be of interest to our readers… Humphrey Chetham was a member of the Crumpsall...

   12th July 2013 • Read more

5. A new world of words

   In addition to the recent gift of John Reed’s diaries, the library has also been given books from Reed’s personal collection, including some early printed books. Amongst these are several...

   11th July 2013 • Read more

6. Shanty-O!

       We’ve recently been given a copy of ‘Shanty-O! A Nautical Fantasy’, performed by the Chetham’s Hospital Boy’s Choir. Written by choirmaster Gerald Littlewood and produced in 1958, we...

   11th July 2013 • Read more

7. Preachee and Floggy too!

   One of our most recent acquisitions relates directly to the Peterloo Massacre and is a satirical etching by George Cruikshank entitled ‘Preachee and Floggy too! Or hot & cold, with...

   10th July 2013 • Read more

8. James Taylor Staton

     James Taylor Staton by Philipp Hoyoll from the collection of Bolton Library and Museums Services on the BBC Your Paintings website One of the few Chetham’s old boys we...

   4th July 2013 • Read more

9. To cut or not to cut…

   It’s always depressing, when cataloguing, to find that the copy of the book you’re describing is imperfect, or missing something important or interesting. Often a folding plate has been lost,...

   27th June 2013 • Read more

10. Don’t give up the day job…

      Tate Britain’s major retrospective of the work of L.S. Lowry opens in London today, a welcome event which is largely regarded as long overdue. Here in Manchester we have...

    26th June 2013 • Read more